The Life of Marie de Medicis — Volume 3 eBook

FOOTNOTES:

[130] Gaston d’Orleans, Mem. pp. 89,
90.

[131] Jean de Saint-Bonnet, Seigneur de Thoiras.
He was created Marshal of France in 1630, and was
killed in Italy, in 1636.

[132] Ambroise, Marquis de Spinola, one of the most
famous generals of the seventeenth century, was the
representative of an illustrious house which was subsequently
divided into several branches, some of whom established
themselves in Italy, and others in Spain. The
subject of our note placed himself at the head of
nine thousand Italians, and commenced his military
career in the Low Countries, where he distinguished
himself by his extraordinary courage. The siege
of Ostend having lasted so long as to weary the patience
of the Archduke of Austria, he transferred the command
of his troops to Spinola, by whom the place was carried
in 1604. He was then appointed general of the
Spanish armies in the Low Countries, and maintained
his ground, although opposed to Maurice of Nassau,
the most able general of his time. He rendered
several other important services to the Emperor in
the Palatinate, and took Breda in 1625. In 1630
he made himself master of the city and fortress of
Casal; and shortly afterwards died from mortification
at the ill requital of his services.

[133] Jules Mazarin, better known as Cardinal Mazarin,
Prime Minister of France, was born at Piscina in the
Abruzzi on the 14th of July 1602, and was of a noble
Sicilian family. Having completed his studies
in Italy and Spain, he attached himself to Cardinal
Sacchetti, whom he followed to Lombardy, and was of
great assistance to Cardinal Antonio Barbarini in
concluding the peace of Quierasqua in 1631. The
reputation which he acquired through this negotiation
secured to him the friendship of Richelieu and the
protection of Louis XIII; and in 1639 the former obtained
for him the title of Papal Vice-Legate at Avignon,
and subsequently a seat in the Conclave. Nor
did his good offices end even here, as he entreated
Louis to appoint him Councillor of State after his
own demise, a request with which the King complied;
and on the death of Louis XIII the Queen-Regent Anne
of Austria confided to him the government of the kingdom.
Mazarin died in 1661, leaving a fortune of 200,000,000
of francs to Armand Charles de la Porte de la Meilleraye,
the husband of his niece Hortense Mancini.